The 9 Enneagram Personality Types as Children’s Books Series: Type 6 as Strictly NO Elephants
Posted: September 30, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
Enneagram Type 6: The Loyalist = Strictly NO Elephants
Type 6: “The Committed, Security-Oriented Type: Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, and Suspicious” as defined by The Enneagram Institute
Thus far in our series we have had an egg, a tree, a train, a wild king, a narwhal, and now with SIX we have an elephant! Strictly NO Elephants, written by Lisa Mantchev & illustrated by Taeeun Yoo, is one of my favorite books to share with children(of all ages)! The core message of inclusion speaks to the key motivations of the SIX, as defined by the Enneagram Institute in that they “want to have security, to feel supported by others, to have certitude and reassurance, to test the attitudes of others toward them, to fight against anxiety and insecurity.” In the story, I feel the Loyalist is best exemplified by the trusty pet elephant. His basic SIX desire of having security and support, is fulfilled by his friendship with the boy, who helps him over cracks in the sidewalk, and generally accepts the elephant for who he is.
The 9 Enneagram Personality Types as Children’s Books Series: Type 5 as Someday Narwhal
Posted: September 20, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
Enneagram Type 5: The Investigator = Someday Narwhal
Type 5: “The Intense, Cerebral Type: Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated” as defined by the Enneagram Institute.
What a day to be a 5! My choice for best example of “The Investigator” in motion, is Someday Narwhal, written by Lisa Mantchev, and illustrated by Hyewon Yum. Even the cover art has 5 written all over it. What environment is more confining than a narwhal in a fishbowl? Narwhal, as she is so named, immediately conveys a sense of isolation and solitude. She displays a preoccupation with observing and describing the space outside her fishbowl, reciting (and repeating), “Red front door. Potted plant. Umbrella stand. Piano.” This fulfills the FIVE‘s key motivations, in that FIVEs, “want to possess knowledge, to understand the environment, to have everything figured out as a way of defending the self from threats from the environment,”-the Enneagram Institute. Narwhal is curious about what could be beyond her bowl, but her interest is only exceeded by her anxiety of the unknown and the negative possibilities that may outweigh the positives.
The 9 Enneagram Personality Types as Children’s Books Series: Type 4 as Where The Wild Things Are
Posted: September 14, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
Enneagram Type 4: The Individualist = Where The Wild Things Are
Type 4: “The Sensitive, Withdrawn Type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental” as defined by the Enneagram Institute
One of the most beloved, and uniquely illustrated, of all children’s books is the only choice to represent the enigmatic and fascinating 4! Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak, tells the story of Max. Max is a young boy who gets into trouble and is sent to bed without supper. He retreats to his imagination to regain control of his emotions by creating a world in which he rules. The Individualist’s basic fear is to have no identity or personal significance. This story is all about Max confirming and maintaining his identity; even the boat he takes to the land where the wild things are has his name painted on the side. Once he reaches the shores of his imaginary place he conquers his feelings(wild things) of otherness, frustration, loneliness, even rage, and becomes king of all wild things(ruler of his emotions).
The 9 Enneagram Personality Types as Children’s Books Series: Type 3 as The Little Engine That Could
Posted: September 7, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
Enneagram Type 3: The Achiever as The Little Engine That Could
Type 3: “The Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type: Adaptive, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious” as defined by the Enneagram Institute.
If Twos are considered the “givers”, Threes would definitely be characterized as “the doers”. And what better literary example of strive, drive, and positivity, than The Little Engine That Could? In this classic children’s book, retold by Watty Piper and illustrated by George & Doris Hauman, a happy train filled with toys, treats and good food to eat stalls on its way up and over the mountain. On the other side of the mountain are good little children waiting, who will come to the happy train’s rescue?
Y'all Behave! 